Gah, sorry it took so long guys. The next chapter of RRR should be up soon though! As well as a new story that's not half as dramatic as this called 'Crush'. It's a multi-chapter (because I can't oneshot I get too into it xD)
School-setting story. Reallllllly stupid, but cute and funny. So keep your eyes pealed for it :)
PLEASE REVIEW this story.
I WORK HARD! 3 AND ILL REVIEW ONE OF YOUR'S IN EXCHANGE!
Plus you'll love it and stuff.
-Gracie :)
Tsunade sighed. She had just escorted Sasuke Uchiha out the secret door in the floorboards underneath her feet and after that meeting, the exact one she and all the council men had dreaded for months, she needed a drink.
Make it ten.
"The elders have decided it." She tried to keep her voice from breaking. "You killed Danzo; you attempted to kill Sakura, Kakashi, and Karin. You may have saved Konoha from Madara but it was only after we saved you from him. For that, the counsel has determined-" She heard Sasuke's breath hitch. "…that you've earned the black sentence. Isolation in maximum security prison. Fifteen years. Until a new Hokage says otherwise or the circumstances change."
Sasuke quivered. The tears snaking down his reddened face were so heart wrenching, Tsunade had to screw up her nose and clutch her fist in order to disperse the lump in her throat. Itachi had been in her office earlier, practically losing all dignity he had begging on his knees for Sasuke's forgiveness.
Itachi Uchiha had died for Konoha, and amazingly enough had gotten his life back; only to lose his purpose for living. Turning him down was nearly impossible but what could she do?
It was beyond her control.
"Itachi, however, lives a free man because of his ultimate sacrifice eight years ago and with his freedom Konohagakure can finally repay him."
Sasuke swallowed.
"What about Naruto?"
Eyes fixed on the floor, she took a heavy breath.
"I am the Hokage. I cannot forgive you…however…the 7th Hokage can. Until then, Sasuke..." She touched his hand as he signed the papers on her desk, holding it there, in place, until he wrenched away and fell like a shadow through the floor. "It's just beyond me."
Tsunade wiped the budding tears from her eyes and shook her head. Kami, she was dreading this. "You two can come in now."
Naruto Uzumaki…there he was, surely enough; breaking the rules with such beautiful benign hope that he couldn't be punished. Naruto stood outside the door, he was ordered to stay away from, pressed up against it, his first two fingers linked with Sakura's, sweat beading on his temple, as they trembled uncontrollably together.
Please. He had been methodically chanting to himself. Please.
The second he had heard the slightest note of Tsunade's voice, he burst through the door, breaking it into a thousand pieces. Sakura sheltered herself in her arms from the impact, but both had eyes locked on their Hokage, who's grim expression plunged their hearts through the floor.
"Don't say it Baa-chan!" Naruto growled eyes flickering red. "Please don't!" Sakura wearily grasped his arm. She had always had suspicion about Naruto and Sasuke's relationship, and she had been shocked into conformation when she walked in on Naruto making ramen and Sasuke kissing his neck from behind. It had been so…so adorable and pure, the shock had taken a moment to register; Sasuke on his tip-toes in his jonin uniform smiling into the blonde's skin as he stirred a bubbling pot and ranted about his day gleefully.
Regardless of being turned down by both of them (she still insists that she turned them down or that the feeling was mutual) and surprised by their love, they were her best friends. Family.
…A part of her, and there was no way that Tsunade, someone she considered to be her mother, would rip her to pieces like that. Because if there was no more Sasuke, there was no more Naruto. And thusly, Sakura ceased to exist as well. And she had just gotten used to coming home, finishing paper work and training with them, getting Ichiraku like they used to. Laughing. Having fun.
But now…she couldn't help crying now. Silently shedding tears and ruining her makeup, staining her silk kimono. Angrily. At Tsunade, even Sasuke. Just looking at Naruto's face, more warped with hate than it had ever been in those long miserable years…he deserved to be happy.
"Naruto, there was nothing I could do, it was the council's decision I-"
"Nothing you could do? You're the Hokage! You could save him if you really want to!"
"…Naruto…" Her voice was quaking. "I'm going to fight this."
"I've fought this as long as I fucking can!" His tears were shameless. "I can't do it anymore!"
"I'm so sorry…"
"Sorry isn't good enough!"
"Naru-chan!" Sakura shrieked, hanging off his shoulder. "You shouldn't be arguing with Lady Tsunade, you should be spending your time with Sasuke!"
The blonde's face froze. She was so right it hurt. "H-how long does he have?"
"Three days for it to be finalized." Tsunade mumbled, defeated.
And Naruto was out the door.
Sakura trembled, frozen. Tsunade shuffled past her with a tight face and a dark aura, grabbing a fistful of money from the little box on her desk. She whispered, "I'm sorry," to the doorframe, pressing her forehead against it, and disappeared. When Sakura ripped her eyes from the floor and stumbled out of the office, Itachi was waiting there, misted in a cloud of smoke.
In fact she had almost stepped on him, for he was sitting on the ground like he had slipped to the floor.
"Itachi-san?" She grumbled through her tears. "What are you doing here?" The smoke. It was coming from a cigarette he was sucking on. "And you're…smoking?"
Slightly embarrassed, he dismissed the obvious smoking comment. "I was doing the same thing you were, only quieter." His voice was monotone and his black eyes showed nothing Sakura could read. Itachi had no sharingan anymore, not since Sasuke had taken the eyes from his corpse and used them for an eternal Mangekyou. When Kabuto had reanimated and reformed his body, they were not replaced. He was still a powerful ninja, however, and found a place in the anbu in Konoha once the war was over, being heavily praised and admired for his sacrifice, the true fate of his family finally released to the public.
And he visited Sasuke, every day to poke him in the forehead and make sure he was eating. To undress and redress his wounds, to sit by his beside and talk with him when the nightmares kept him awake. To tease him. To take him out to train to make up for every time he had turned him down in their childhood. He lit another cigarette and blew away the ashes on the floor.
"I don't know what to do, Itachi-san." She slid down onto the floor next to him and took a cig out of his carton. He lit it and they sat there, absorbed in smoke. Her heartbeat quelled and she listened to Itachi's heavy breathing for a few moments.
"I'm going to keep fighting this Sakura, don't you worry about it. While I handle it there's nothing you can do but be with him for… these final days."
She began to collect her things, but Itachi stopped her.
"He's with Naruto now. Later tonight."
She nodded, and suddenly, burst into tears. Final days? It was just so sick and so cruel…
"I'm sorry I'm crying Itachi-san…but you would know better than anybody how unfair this is!"
"Sakura-san, did I ever tell you that you remind us of our mother?"
She stopped and sniffed. Wisps of Itachi's hair were clinging to the wet trails on his face, glistening in the smoldering light. Naturally, only Uchiha Itachi could find a way to cry gracefully and discreetly.
"No, but that's very kind. I heard she was a wonderful woman." Sakura found it strange that she was discussing this with the man who killed her, but trundled on past it all the same. "Thank you."
"You know if I could go back and prevent her death, I would in a heartbeat." He took a long drag. "So I'm going to fix this." Getting up in an instant, Itachi flashed her a sweet smile. She had never seen him smile like this before; she was still so unused to the idea of him smiling at all. Never the less, it was enchanting. "I have to. You see, not just for Sasuke and me, or you and Naruto, but for Mikoto and Fugaku."
With that he stood up and walked down the hallway casually, and so sure of himself Sakura had no choice but to believe him.
When Naruto stumbled into his apartment (Sasuke and Kakashi's apartment, although there was no time to be technical) there was no trace of Sasuke. Naruto knew where he was after throwing over the hamper and tearing through the closet and realizing that Sasuke's sandals and jacket were missing. Out in the crisp November air he found the raven-haired boy, looking small, perched on the ledge of the fire escape, the mere sight of him welling tears in the blonde's eyes. He forced them away and grabbed Sasuke off the balcony.
"You idiot!" Naruto pulled him into a crushing hug. "I was worried sick, teme. You should have found me and I would have talked to Tsunade with you, and I-" He was quieted instantly by a squeeze in their hug; then Sasuke found his hand and was held it to his chest.
"Do you feel my heart, dobe? Because I'm pretty sure I died back there." He snorted.
Naruto beamed and pressed his hand into the brunette's collarbone affectionately. "Yes teme, you're alive."
"That's kind of a relief I guess. Not that it does me any good."
"Sasuke…"
"Don't get all sentimental on me. I mean…we have these three days, right? And then I'll…see you in fifteen years I guess. I don't know."
"Shut up! Don't say it like it like that." Naruto glared and pulled away, if only by a few inches, breathing heavily and flushed with tears. "I'll get you out of this. I'm going to be Hokage, and I'll work on Baa-chan. Itachi and me both, and Sakura and Kakashi-chan…we won't let this happen. I mean me and you, we just started to…"
"Yeah. I know."
"I finally got you back, goddammit. We finally found something that works for us. It's not fair it's just not fair, I want to spend the rest of my goddamn life with you!"
"It's too easy to say that when you're 17." Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "You'll find someone else. Don't pretend like you won't, Naruto. Some girl…or boy or whatever. This whole thing's been wrong from the beginning. I don't think you're meant to be gay and…I'm not…I'm not meant to be happy."
"Sasuke." The blonde snarled. "I'm going to make you a promise just like the last time. I'll bring you home and I'll bring you to me. And I'm not going to find someone else, are you fucking stupid? I want you. I want to go on missions with you, hell; I want to fight with you. I want to watch the stars with you; I want to get stronger with you. I want to make you breakfast every morning…I wanna sleep with you!" Sasuke blushed furiously and looked away.
"I don't…I don't know what to tell you."
"Just don't give up and I'll keep working on it as long as it takes."
They heard the sound of Kakashi returning home, probably with nothing to say but awkward condolences and an evening of brooding over the verdict in his room.
"If I'm not dead now, I'll die in there, Naruto." He muttered, straight-faced, accepting a kiss with stiff lips. In a matter of seconds, he tasted salt.
"Me too." Naruto muttered. He picked up Sasuke, who was significantly smaller built, and placed him on his lap, deepening their kiss. Sasuke's mouth fell open, just as Naruto pulled gently away from the warmth of the touch, locking eyes. "I love you. Like I said, gay, best friends, it doesn't matter. I love you so much, and I need you to know that'll never change. You know that right?" Sasuke fell limp in his arms. The silence was deafening and thick before his response.
"Yes…" He finally choked. "…but that only makes it worse."
When Itachi knocked on Kakashi's door at six in the morning, the silver-haired jonin was wide awake; pouring through books like it was going out of style. The knock shook him out of his daze like a bucket of cold water, and he jolted up, smoothed himself out and opened it to find Itachi, reeking of smoke, black eyes warm.
"…well hello, Itachi-kun." Kakashi muttered, slightly perturbed. He scratched his head and motioned Itachi in, who had several handfuls of scrolls, appearing equally as exhausted. "What brings you here?"
Itachi situated himself on the edge of Kakashi's bed and with nothing more than a raised eyebrow, Kakashi joined him. "I have a solution to Sasuke's sentencing." Classic Itachi, treating every tragedy like a problem he could solve. Sometimes Kakashi got the feeling that he could, the boy was undeniably remarkable and it was impossible to not be fond of him, to find yourself eluded of his modest charm. It was impressive…it was cute.
"Do tell. Because I've been looking for loopholes all night and I'm drawing a blank."
"I don't know if this is a loophole, but I'm looking to keep him out of prison. That's goal number one, and we need to accomplish it before going after anything else."
"You think you can keep him out of prison?"
"I would need your help, Kakashi-kun…and your…moral support. But I could do it. I really think I could." Itachi murmured, flipping through to the marked page of an old book of ninjutsu the size of his head. The pages puffed dust at him that he daintily fanned away with his hand.
"Well, we'll see. Explain your idea to me, Itachi-san." Ruffling his anbu-partner's hair, he stood up and stretched like a lazy tom-cat with a wry smile etched out under his mask. "I'll go make us some tea."
Naruto's BISEXUAL. I think that's fitting, don't you? So Sasuke's (who's absolutely without a doubt 100% gay) constantly questioning Naruto's feelingssss.
Insecure bastard.
ANYWAY, some KakaIta action? ;D Maybeee! 3
SUGGESTIONS?
And don't forget to review, those of you who favourite. It's appriciated and stuff but show me some written love!
RRR- Up tomorrow.
This- Updated before Friday.
CRUSH- The new story? Hopefully published tomorrow.
Ja ne!
